Historical Archives

Arizona DOES

have gay history!

Arizona LGBT+ History Project promotes and facilitates the protection and preservation of materials that chronicle the experience, culture, and history of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, + Community in Arizona.

Purpose

Arizona LGBT+ History Project is a collaboration between Phoenix Pride, Marshall Shore (Hip Historian) and Arizona State University Libraries. LGBT+ history is under-documented in Arizona archives and libraries. We are actively trying to change that by encouraging the documentation and preservation of documents, narratives and other items that tell the state’s LGBT+ history. You also have an extraordinary opportunity and responsibility to help. Your personal LGBT+ community material will have historical value for future generations.

History

In 2015, a building located at 222 E. Roosevelt St, in downtown Phoenix, was demolished to make way for a condominium development. The building was historically significant to Arizona’s LGBT+ community because it once housed the 307 Lounge, one of the earliest nightclubs in the Valley that catered to the LGBT+ community. It closed in 2000. Today, a plaque is planned for the spot where the club existed. But the losing fight to preserve the building highlighted how little was being done to preserve Arizona’s LGBT+ community history. And it created this movement bringing together like-minded individuals determined to heighten awareness, and to preserve and document the LGBT+ experience in Arizona.

Yearly Events

Every September

Banned Book Reading

An initiative to preserve stories and other archival materials that document the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) history in Arizona. After centuries of cultural, social and legal oppression, the LGBT+ community has made tremendous gains toward equality in the past 50 years.

Let’s Get Social!

Resources

LGBT+ History in Arizona

Bj Bud Memorial Archives

Arizona Queer Archives

Phoenix Pride Mission

Phoenix Pride unites, educates, and engages people to support and empower the LGBTQ community and our allies.

Community Foundation

The Phoenix Pride Community Grants Program is a charitable program to provide financial grants to nonprofit organizations serving Maricopa County's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community.